St. Sophia Church was built and completed of timber in March, 1907 as part of a plan to reconsolidate the confidence of the army by building an imposing spiritual symbol.

Although the cathedral's sturdy structure withstood its intended destruction during the Cultural Revolution, its empty hull became a warehouse for a nearby state-run department store, its windows were bricked up and saplings grew from the roof.

Prefabricated concrete high-rises boxed the church in on all four sides, coming within yards of its walls, making the cathedral inaccessible and invisible from the street.

[3]Following its designation in 1996 as a national cultural heritage site (First class Preserved Building),[4] a newspaper article about the "hidden" cathedral prompted donations from locals to restore the church.

Local corporations, individual businesses as well as workers from nearby department stores donated money to restore the cathedral and renovate the square.

At the official ceremony on September 2, 1997 to celebrate the restoration of Hagia Sophia Cathedral, Mayor Wang Guangdao underlined the cultural and economic benefits expected from the project: "The restoration of Hagia Sophia Cathedral inspired the people of Harbin, raised the level of our culture, let the whole of China and foreign friends know China, and opened a way for faster economic development.